What, in your opinion, is creativity? Is it innate, or can it be learned? I ask because I feel supremely UNcreative & rather envy people who are.
I think creativity is innate. It just has to be let loose, and to what extent that happens depends on how much faith you have in yourself.
Take a look at who you think are creative people. Chances are these people have a certain amount of faith in their abilities and instincts and stick to their guns despite all the “you can’t do this”, “you don’t know how to do that” crap that people tell them (and they tell themselves).
creativity:
- the quality of being creative
- the ability to create
creative:
- marked by the ability or power to create
- having the quality of something created rather than imitated
Creativity, to some degree at least, is both innate and learned. If you approve the definition provided, than anyone capable of doing anything original at all can create and is therefore, creative. However, your mileage may vary. That is to say, if you are capable of creation in a recognized forum such as music, art, or literature, you are deemed creative by those around you. If your particular creative impulses lead you down paths that aren’t quite so captivating to the masses- say you’re the most cutting-edge, visionary toothpick sculptor that has ever walked the earth- you will probably not be recognized and won’t feel the need to express yourself creatively to a world that cares little for toothpick sculpture. There is no denying that some seem/are inherently more creative than others, but I feel that this is really just because these individuals are comfortable with the idea of creating. Creativity is a willingness to express all those crazy ideas you have. Maybe people will like it, maybe they won’t. People can “learn” creativity by figuring out what they are good at, and then using that thing as a means of expression. The classic “I’m not creative” mentality arises when we see another individual who possesses a different (possibly more marketable) type of creativity and focus on that lack in ourselves rather than trying to figure out what we can create.
I think creativity is exactly what mack said it is.
I recently read this book, which examines and attempts to define creativity. It’s an interesting read, though I suspect the author’s ambition exceeded his grasp.
One of the most interesting things he discusses is that creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. If you’ve never learned to play a musical instrument, it’s unlikely that you’ll discover an innate musical creativity in yourself. Ditto for a subsistence farmer finding out he has a gift for advanced mathematics.
Perhaps, flowers, you just haven’t stumbled across what you’re good at yet.
Are you asking about general creativity, or artistic ability? I am often told that I am very creative, but I’ve found that most people mean “artistic” when they say “creative.”
To me, creativity is nothing more than problem-solving. “This is what I want, this is what is in my way to having/achieving it, how do I get around it?” I think creativity can be taught, whereas artistic ability may be more an inherent quality (although it can certainly be refined.)